28 April 2011: Drinking and not driving

Work is crazy all day, but for the first time in 3 weeks it feels like I’m catching up with the stacks of files that have become skeletons with cobwebs. I buy cupcakes for the office. Happy birthday to me.

Flowers and sparkling wine from the parentals are delivered to the office. It makes me smile and it makes me miss them. They live in New Zealand, you see, and usually the distance doesn’t bother me, but a girl’s birthday is one of those days she’d like to see her family.

I should go home. I should go to bed early. But no, Throbbing Strawberry and the friends are calling. Why not, right? I drink coca cola, as I have every intention of sleeping in my own bed for the first time since Sunday, but I did not foresee a late night pop in from The Devil himself. Guess it’s good that we’re friends and in the spirit of not angering the beast, I allow my rubber arm to be twisted into some drinks, which negates the option me driving home.

My golden rule is that I don’t mind drinking with my mates on any given night, but if you want me to party with you, I’m sleeping over on your couch. Actually, you’re sleeping on your couch, I’m sleeping in your bed. Being a girl rules. No driving for this attorney after one drink. This is non-negotiable. It is however a major problem in a country where we want to have zero tolerance on drunken driving, but there is no reliable and safe public transport available. I appreciate the SAPS doing their job. If you break the law, you should be held accountable. However, I also appreciate that there is a major logistics problem here for most people. Sure, the easy answer is don’t drink, but there is no law against having a good time. And then? How are you supposed to get home. Take me, for example. I am single and no-one I know lives near me. How am I supposed to get back to my own house? Not even a designated driver helps, because that STILL doesn’t get be back to my own house. Even though the private sector has provided an answer in the form of cab companies and chauffeur services that collect your vehicle and drive it and you home, these options are simply too expensive for Average Joe.

The new idea is to completely ban drinking and driving. I.e. 0% blood-alcohol level when driving. I’m all for that, but no-one seems to be listening. I STILL CAN’T GET HOME DAMMIT!

Attempt to sleep at friend’s house. Brain is on fire with too much of muchness. Dammit. Not again. Clock watch.